An OPP officer who shot and killed an armed suspect wanted for a series of crimes in the Port Elgin and rural Bruce County area last February has been cleared by the Ontario police watchdog – the Special Investigations Unit (SIU).
The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency that looks into cases involving officials where there has been death, serious injury, firearm discharge at a person, or allegations of sexual assault.
SIU Director Joseph Martino stated that there were no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offense during the incident that began early on Feb. 21 when a 48-year-old man arrived at Kincardine hospital complaining of hallucinations.
He was discharged and then started a crime spree that involved breaking into houses, stealing vehicles, assaulting people, and taking a firearm.
Throughout the day, police searched for the suspect who crashed his stolen vehicle in downtown Port Elgin before running away on foot. He assaulted a woman in an attempt to steal her car keys and broke into a nearby house.
The suspect stole another vehicle and escaped. OPP officers found him along with the stolen vehicle in rural Port Elgin and used a tire deflation device, causing him to lose control and drive into a ditch.
The SIU reported that the suspect, armed with a modified sawed-off shotgun, ran to a home near Sideroad 13 and Bruce-Saugeen Townline area, threatened the homeowners, and demanded their car keys. He tried to escape in their vehicle but by this time, officers had arrived at the scene.
“Armed with a rifle, an officer rushed towards the driver’s door of the vehicle and ordered the man to show his hands. The man raised his empty hands. The officer then opened the driver’s door as the man retrieved a shotgun and pointed it at the officer. The officer fired multiple rounds from his rifle. The man was transported to hospital where he was pronounced deceased.”
The SIU Full Director’s report is available at: https://www. siu. on. ca/en/directors_reports. php.
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